GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 16: Referee Grant Irvine points to the spot to award Celtic a penalty following a VAR check during a cinch Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee at Celtic Park, on September 16, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
After refereeing the Celtic v St Mirren match on Saturday Grant Irvine is the middle of a very interesting week.
On Monday it was back to the day job at Boclair Academy where he is Principal Teacher of PE, Â a colleague of Nick Walsh who decided that an elbow in the face of Nicolas Kuhn from Jefte only merited a yellow card.
A similar ‘punishment’ was handed out to Joe Wright of Kilmarnock in November for a 10th minute attack on Adam Idah’s nose.
Irvine and Walsh share the same workplace which just happens to be the partner school that looks after the educational needs of the Murray Park starlets, the Leon’s King’s and Robbie Fraser’s of the future.
This season 16 referees have taken charge of Premiership matches, two of them work at the same school which just happens to be partnered up with the second best club in Scotland.
In England and elsewhere such a conflict of interests wouldn’t be allowed.
On Thursday Irvine will check in at work as usual, get an early exit then after working on the fitness of the Murray Park starlets drive to Dundee to take charge of their SPFL clash against Phil Clement’s side. On Friday morning he’ll be back at Boclair Academy having refereed the top two clubs in the Premiership in less than seven days. A useful income stream, plus generous SFA expenses.
Irvine and Walsh can’t win, or can’t lose. They are either seen to be siding with their business partners or going overboard the other way to avoid accusations of bias.
Across Europe they wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a match involving or impacting on the 2012 Ibrox Tribute Act, in Scotland no-one bats an eye lid.
On Saturday Irvine turned in the sort of abysmal display that fans expect from a generation of Willie Collum clones where the referee thinks that he is the star of the show.
At the hint of any contact St Mirren players fell to the ground sure of being awarded a free kick and taking a quick breather as they get back into shape.
Zach Hemmings, in goals was wasting time from the first five minutes, Irvine gestured to him that it was being noted but no significant time was added on.
The other great time wasting ploy from opponents to Celtic Park is to get someone from the other side of the pitch to trot over to take a long throw-in.
With a delay of around one minute between the ball going out and thrown back into play it is a favourite tactic, especially for clubs that don’t have a long throw specialist.
Alongside Walsh there is little doubt that Irvine is heading to the top, if you can’t join the Lanarkshire Referee Association it seems that a job at Boclair Academy is the other fast track route for emerging referees.
CLICK HERE for Boclair Academy staff list.
The deepest concern for me is the continued silence, not only from Celtic, but surely all clubs would want a transparent system? We are too slow (dead slow) to call out the poor refereeing and are absolutely muted on the ‘apparent’ corruption.
Referee’s have a duty of care to protect player safety. In the Jefte incident, ironically, in a similar field position to the infamous ‘red card’ incident with Jozo, only a yellow sufficed and was a much worse contact than Jozo’s so much so it drew blood and left Kùhn requiring treatment. As we have seen Celtic players are exposed to greater levels of danger by dint of rhe standard of refereeing, no doubt influenced by their club allegiance. Its high time Celtic or indeed the PFA called this out.
celtic physio bottled and scarred , broken glass on the pitch, bottle thrown at o reilly, and now another two incidents involving a celtic player and manager being targeted all this in the last few years. over to you mr nicholson .
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…
Now don’t dare disturb me…
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
Signed :
Lord Lucan-Nicholson !
Apparently these 2 chums. Been working hand and hand “ for years. Nothing New in Scotland.
Irvine failed miserable to apply the basic laws of the game, no yellow for dragging a Celtic player to the ground when breaking forward, and no yellow for kicking the ball away when a free kick has been awarded. Totally useless
A ” gripping ” scenario !
Is it Grant Irvine so that he can wear two different tartans at the same time?
Surname Surnames are always worth a bloody watching in the Cheats with Whistles, Flags and Monitors club !
It’s Scotland at its best…The Brotherhood rules…and our Board says feck all…We get what we deserve.
Another one to watch out for is Euan Anderson.
Why did Grant Irvine get dropped for the sevco-Dundee game last night?
This article maybe?